Lovbuds Short Trip Report to Playa 2008

lovbuds · #1 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 12:40 PM

This is our fourth trip to Playa and our first trip report. Usually we start out in Playa and move around and then come back to Playa for the last few days. This year though we decided to spend most of our two weeks on Isla Mujures. We had popped over for a day trip one year with our kids and liked its feel. This year about half way through our stay, we had made plans to go to the Peanut Pet Shelter for bath day, which we were really looking forward to.

Isla Ferry Dock

We woke early on Isla as the sun was starting to come up - walked about six blocks to the ferry (35 pesos each way) and found ourselves in Cancun by 7:30 am. We took a taxi for 50 pesos to the bus station and caught a bus to Playa and by 9:30 we were there! It felt so great to be back again! We are always so eager to walk around to see the changes from the year before but we were famished and immediately stopped for a quick bite. We always make a stop here as it's not too far from the bus station but cannot remember the name of it. Sorry no pictures either - far too hungry to remember to take one. We needed to be at the Peanut Pet Shelter by 12:30 so we needed to find a place to stay and drop off our backpacks as quickly as possible. We noticed a place just off 5th called Maria Sabina Hotel. We don't need a lot when it comes to a room. It must be clean and have A/C. as we spend very little time inside. They had a vacancy and for 500 pesos we had a balcony too which was really great as we could see the 5th Avenue pedway for people watching and a slice of the Caribbean sea.

We dropped out our things and headed down to take a quick look at the beach and put our feet in the beautiful water. We noticed a lot more umbrellas and chairs on the beach this year. We walked around a bit and made our way up to Wal-Mart to buy beer, ice and a bucket, not knowing what to expect for bath day and then grabbed a taxi to the shelter. Rick was already there when we arrived and Andy let us in. We gave him the supplies that we had brought down from Canada for the shelter and went inside to greet the dogs. There were so many dogs to fall in love with and the puppies so adorable! Poor Jen was under the weather and feeling really miserable that day. Before long Clare, John and Libby, Marissa and Maureen came. Sorry but those are all the names that I remember - I know there were a few more and a bunch of kids. Bath day went off without a hitch and was a wonderful experience. Both Gary and I thoroughly enjoyed our afternoon. Andy and Jen are just awesome and we have so much admiration for them for what they are doing. We plan on making it an annual stop in Playa from now on.

We left the shelter and walked to our hotel which only took twenty minutes - we were surprised because it seemed a lot further. We needed to clean up and head to Pinche Gringos - John and a bunch were supposed to be down there watching a game however we didn't spot him so left after a quick beer. We walked up and down 5th stopping for a beer here and there along the way. We headed to El Sarape on Juarez for taco pastor and then back to our hotel as it had been a long day. We made another beer stop and sat on our balcony enjoying a cold one while we reflected on our day and all the wonderful people we met.

Right then and there we decided we needed to spend an extra day and night in Playa. We really love it here and we needed to do a lot more exploring not to mention hit the beach.

lovbuds · #2 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 02:31 PM

Having problems downloading pictures. Hopefully will be rectified soon. Please be patient ...

John · #3 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 03:48 PM

Sorry I missed you at Pinche Gringos... I was there, but I had changed my shirt and was bellied up against the bar. Sorry I missed you guys!

Thanks for the trip report, and for all the help you provided to the Peanut Pet Shelter & Kennel.

See you the next time you guys are in town.

GreatLakes · #4 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 04:45 PM

Nice trip report. I believe the Maria Sabrina used to be the Casa Maya. Cant beat the location. Thanks for sharing!

lovbuds · #5 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:51 PM

I could hardly believe it when I woke up at 5 am the next morning. Once I realized that I couldn't get back to sleep, I was up and out on our balcony. It was so quiet and beautiful and quite dark. There were a few people here and there going to work it looked like. Then I saw three of the food carts (from Juarez) all coming down 6th and turning onto 5th Avenue. I stood looking down onto their carts and the food all looked amazing. Guess that is where we will head for breakfast once Gary wakes up. I watched the sun come up and it was so beautiful. More and more people were walking up 5th. I was pretty certain I saw Marissa walking Bonny!

Gary got up shortly after 7 am and we were off across the street at a little cafe for coffee. We were really disappointed to see a Starbucks but I know a lot of people would be just as happy to have them there. I thought we would see a lot of big changes to Playa once again like last year but we really didn't notice much other than how much it has expanded. We wondered down 5th to Juarez to the food carts and had chicken in a bun which was delicious.

We watch a ferry leave for Cozemel while we were enjoying breakfast and then headed back to our hotel to get ready for the beach. It was only 9:30 by the time we hit the beach so it was easy to find a good spot. The water is clearer than it is on Isla and beautiful warm.

By 1 pm we were starving once again and headed back to our room. We stopped at a corner store and bought some beer and just sat on our balcony and people watched. It was such a great feeling being back here. After a bit we headed out for El Fogon for more tacos pastor. Can you tell it's one of our favourites! We weren't disappointed. It was great!

We did a lot of walking around Playa - up passed Moms Hotel and all around noting small changes here and there. We made beer stops all along our journeys - it was a great day.

Since we were leaving in the morning, we couldn't decide where to eat supper - Carboncitas or La Tarraya - La Tarraya won out. We had a perfect table in the sand overlooking the beach. Way cool - exactly as I remembered! My shrimp ceviche was the best ever and Gary's chipotle shrimp was delicious too! We slowly made our way up 5th Avenue stopping at Karens, Pez o (something or other) and Burbon Street for a drink or two. We stopped at the Beer Bucket but it was really packed and ended up back at our hotel sitting on our balcony once again with an ice cold beer. What a way to end the day!

We'll get up early once again and head for the ADO bus station and go back to our hotel on Isla for the next six days. I'm really wishing for another few days in Playa but our hotel is paid for back on Isla so will have to wait until next year.

Sunset on Isla

raquelle261 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 06:57 PM

Wow.... that last pic is way cool - love it!! Thanks for the report lovbuds.... I just love reading these.....

redhed · #7 (**permalink**) 03-01-2008, 08:16 PM

I enjoyed your report Lovbuds......my kind of travelling.....easy, laid back....made me wanna be there.

Great pics! Gracias

HAWKEYE · #8 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 07:32 AM

Lovin' it!

Great start.
Craig.

lovbuds · #9 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 08:44 AM

Thanks guys - glad you enjoyed it! Not too bad for a first attempt I guess.

MsRubio · #10 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 05:27 PM

Wow that shrimp ceviche looks soooo good....must stop by there and have some next week.

Thanks for the trip report and glad you enjoyed your vacation!

Libby · #11 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 05:38 PM

Sounds like you had a great Playa trip! It was great to me you Nancy and your husband Gary at the shelter.

Sharon · #12 (**permalink**) 03-02-2008, 10:33 PM

Great report and wonderful pics. Thanks!

TAPPY · #13 (**permalink**) 03-03-2008, 09:55 AM

Really great pictures - the shrimp ceviche looks very tasty

Beth&Scott · #14 (**permalink**) 03-12-2008, 09:57 PM

We were lucky enough to meet the "lovebuds" while vacationing on Isla Mujures. They are a great couple and we had so much in common regarding our love for Mexico including Playa del Carmen! They are well traveled in Mexico and really know how to truely maxamize a Mexico vacation. Nancy has given me so much great advise on our future travels to Mexico, including encouraging me to join this forum (which is great by the way). Nancy- wonderful trip report & great photos. The volunteering looked wonderful and the puppy on your shoulder really seemed to like your company! Wish Scott and I could have seen that Isla sunset- Man that photo looks like it should be a postcard!!

Coccinelle · #15 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 01:47 AM

How could I have missed your trip report!?

You guys seem to hit all the right spots to eat.

I am so sorry that I never made my way down to the carts for breakfast this time.

Is there more?

lovbuds · #16 (**permalink**) 03-16-2008, 04:23 AM

Sorry but that's about it. We only stayed in Playa two nights this trip. We stayed the rest of our two weeks on Isla Mujures which I might add was really awesome. It's a totally different sort of trip. Very relaxing. It had been three years since we first went there for a day trip with our grown kids and so there were lots of changes. We met so many wonderful people who go there every winter.